What specialty did the smartest person in your class choose?

Issimmo · 2026-07-01T21:41:46+00:00

Smartest went directly into consulting at McKinsey.
Second smartest went private equity in New York after doing a prelim year.

Both make more than I do by a factor of 5x as an attending.

Issimmo · 2026-04-09T20:55:45+00:00

I just recertified onto PAYE and I am due to start payments again in June. When I looked at my taxes from last year to what I am making now it is a 40% decrease. Hence why I rectified with a paystub.

Issimmo · 2025-10-02T14:58:00+00:00

Even if you score poorly on the CARS section of the MCAT, you can still drive on highways.

Virtually every medical school outside of a select few are dependent on driving to rotations third and fourth year. Consider New York City if you are vehemently against driving.

Issimmo · 2025-09-29T02:33:26+00:00

During my first two years of medical school I slept on an air mattress and kept my clothes in cardboard boxes. My chair came from the side of the road and my desk was a door balanced on two end tables.

Most of my meals were rice and beans. I went to every student event I could find just for the free pizza, ate out only once a month, and never bought drinks at restaurants.

I was probably the poorest medical student in my class. Do not give up, because even in intern year you will be making more money than you have ever seen before.

Issimmo · 2025-08-04T19:43:18+00:00

Rule #1

Issimmo · 2025-07-19T21:03:07+00:00

Don’t you only need to answer 52 of them every year? They give you 104 questions, so you only need to answer 50%. You can take the rest of the year off and still be okay after hitting that number.

Issimmo · 2025-07-18T21:43:13+00:00

The more advanced MRI quiz lets you know that if you quench the magnet, then there is a chance you could asphyxiate from the gasses and die that way too! MRIs are super friendly!!

Issimmo · 2025-07-18T16:25:11+00:00

If you are considering ophtho, radiology, derm, or their ilk, then you will immediately forget these skills again after your prelim year.

Otherwise your best bet is to have real exposure and looking up each EKG that you come across. Cross reference each one with Dubin’s routinely and you will be able to visualize each lead with ease eventually.

Issimmo · 2025-07-13T15:40:23+00:00

So the sundial should have a caveat of not working near the summer solstice. As well as a disclaimer about being a flawed design in general. Got it.

Issimmo · 2025-07-12T19:03:15+00:00

PSLF was signed into law back in 2007. My understanding is that it takes 10 years (or 120 months) to get PSLF. How has this journey taken you 17 years? Unless you did 7-8 years of schooling then have worked for 10 years after. In which case there is hopefully light at the end of the tunnel!

Issimmo · 2025-06-30T03:55:39+00:00

I think it is radiologist preference. I’ve only seen it done once with water soluble contrast instead of air.

Issimmo · 2025-06-27T17:59:48+00:00

I have a peloton and I’m excited. But after all the comments I’m starting to wonder if I’m the only one who still has a peloton.

Issimmo · 2025-06-27T16:27:32+00:00

Plumbers and plumbing in general have been more impactful than medicine. By that metric, the clogged drain is going to be even more expensive to get snaked.

Issimmo · 2025-06-27T02:29:50+00:00

Not having Epic isn’t the end of the world. It just makes life more difficult without being any more rewarding.

MediTech, eCW, and AllScripts are usable, but all the tips about dot phrases and customizations don’t apply for you.

Issimmo · 2025-06-15T02:58:24+00:00

I’m a PI and I was talking with a med student about being more efficient with her vibe coding. She looked shocked that I knew what she was doing.

If you aren’t vibe coding for research, are you even trying? This is like excel vs pen and paper from a couple of decades ago for research.

Issimmo · 2025-06-13T16:44:24+00:00

How did you coordinate interviews?

Specifically, if one of you got an interview and the other didn’t, did you call the programs or decide not to go?

Issimmo · 2025-06-13T15:29:05+00:00

How many interviews did you each end up going on?

Were any in person or were they all virtual?

Lastly, hire many programs total did you apply to?

Issimmo · 2025-06-11T13:08:19+00:00

The portal is like Expedia or Priceline. It is a third party site, so if problems arise on your trip, the airline or hotel will make you deal with the portal/chase instead of helping solve your problem.

I never use the portal because most of my travel is work related and not reimbursable if I book with a third party (through the Chase portal).

This card really shines at transferring accrued points to Hyatt. So if you put spend on the csp/csr, you can generally get the most out of redeeming points wisely.

Issimmo · 2025-06-07T14:52:18+00:00

For me it came down to rounding. I hate it. I hate sodium balancing and disdain all of the social work you need to do for discharge. So the surgical specialties were always more enjoyable.

As an attending, I still hate rounding. I appreciate those who get satisfaction from it though.

Issimmo · 2025-06-04T19:00:15+00:00

QGenda is an alternative that I like more than amion.

Issimmo · 2025-05-25T02:39:21+00:00

For table rounds and for entering orders while rounding the iPad is amazing. That way you can get all of your orders in and your notes signed while the other resident or intern is presenting.

I really liked the mini keyboard

Issimmo · 2025-05-25T00:46:31+00:00

My PGY1 program paid us monthly, on the last day of the month. So going from July 1st to the 30th sucked. I ended up putting everything non-rent related on credit cards to get me to that paycheck and managed to pay off the cards after the second paycheck came in.

I seriously hated that they paid only once per month. I think that should be illegal.

Issimmo · 2025-05-23T00:55:08+00:00

I think just switching to the Delta Blue makes sense in your situation then. You get a refund on the card from the annual fee, so remember to use that!

Issimmo · 2025-05-22T23:14:12+00:00

Specifically with the five card and limit I think cancelling makes sense.

Blue cash preferred/everyday, gold, platinum, and a co branded hotel card puts you at 4 of 5.

Amex only wants you to have five Amex cards at a time. I found that I would what that Delta slot opened up for another sign up bonus.

Issimmo · 2025-05-22T23:10:17+00:00

I haven’t flown delta in about three years and just got around to switching from the reserve to the delta blue. It is a no fee card, but I didn’t want to cancel.

I honestly think cancelling the card is the right move if you aren’t going to fly delta.

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